Baseball: Berks and PAC standouts battle in Reading

Perkiomen Valley's Donovan Squartino slides into home plate to score a run as Exeter catcher Derian Sarkat looks out toward the field during the 13th annual Baseballtown All-Star Game Saturday at FirstEnergy Stadium in Reading. (Photo by Barry Taglieber)

READING — Win or lose, both sides enjoyed the opportunity of playing baseball in a professional Class AA minor league ballpark Saturday morning.

The Pioneer Athletic Conference senior all-stars took the diamond against their Berks County League counterparts in the 13th annual Baseballtown All-Star Game at FirstEnergy Stadium, home of the Reading Fightin’ Phils.

Host Berks County scored early and often, with three runs in the first inning and one in the second, en route to a 6-2 victory over the PAC-10 standouts.

The PAC-10 tightened the margin with two runs in the fifth inning, but Berks County added some insurance comfort by scoring two more runs in the eighth.

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Each side used six pitchers and parlayed free substitution into the outing.

Pottstown’s Bailey Brown, an outfielder and pitcher, was named Most Valuable Player for the PAC-10, and Daniel Boone shortstop John Reina took home the honor for Berks County.

Brown hurled a 1-2-3 third inning in relief of starter Reed Hostrander of Methacton. Brown had one strikeout and retired his second batter on a lineout to first baseman John Hopkins of Phoenixville.

Brown also played the last several innings of the nine-inning contest in right field and made a superb running catch in right-center field to take a hit away from Hamburg’s Brandon Fray to end the bottom of the seventh inning.

“It was probably the nicest field I ever played on,” said Brown. “I got to play against good competition and prolonged my high school career.”

Offense was limited in the fray as the PAC had five hits and Berks County picked up six hits.

“I mean their pitching was pretty good,” said Brown. “They had a lot of good arms, and it is difficult when you are facing a new pitcher every two innings,” said Brown. “It is kind of difficult to pick things up.”

Brown plans to continue playing baseball while attending Tufts Universityand its strong academic program in Boston starting next year. He has decided to major in economics.

Tufts saw him play during an all-star showcase in Connecticut and pursued him after that display. Brown anticipates being a two-way player at the Division III college as an outfielder and pitcher.

Reina started the game at shortstop and batted out of the cleanup position for Berks County. He stroked an RBI double during the first-inning uprising and wound up scoring on a wild pitch. He made several solid defensive plays during the encounter.

Hopkins and Pottsgrove second baseman Nate Fretz nailed doubles for the PAC-10. Hopkins drove home Perkiomen Valley’s Jay Jabs (safe on error) in the fifth following a walk to Perkiomen Valley teammate Donovan Squartino. Hopkins sent a ball over the left fielder’s head for his hit and RBI.

“It felt good,” said Hopkins, a left-handed batter. “It was weird switching back to metal bats because we are using wooden bats this summer in Legion. It was really cool playing against some people you played against during the season. We talked about past experiences.”

Hopkins will be attending Syracuse University, where he may play club baseball.

He liked being in the starting lineup along with Phoenixville teammates in left fielder Jordan Valenteen, shortstop Joe Little and catcher Chris Demey.

“That was cool playing with them again,” said Hopkins. “It was a nice way to go out, really good.”

Exeter’s Joe Richie pitched the first two innings for Berks County. He gave up onehit and no runs with two strikeouts. Southpaw Garrett Pelko threw the next two frames and Nate Reigner for two as well. Jake Lloyd, Zach Reis and Tom Dennis completed the game with an inning each.

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NOTES: Berks County executed a 6-4-3 double play in the first inning. ... There were four errors in the game. ... The PAC-10 stranded six baserunners and Berks County left five men on base.